Vannessa R. Lucier, a chef and stewardess aboard the M/Y Happy, suffered serious injuries to her left arm and shoulder on February 25, 2024, after she was directed to assist the vessel owner’s intoxicated girlfriend back to the yacht.
According to the case, Ms. Lucier’s employers knew of prior dangerous incidents involving the same individual but nevertheless placed their crew in a situation that exposed them to foreseeable harm. After Ms. Lucier was injured, her employers also failed to provide the maintenance and cure benefits required under maritime law.
BRILL & RINALDI, The Law Firm pursued claims on Ms. Lucier’s behalf in Broward County Circuit Court.
A $2.76 Million Jury Verdict
After the defendants failed to respond to the lawsuit, the firm obtained default judgments and proceeded to present Ms. Lucier’s damages case before a jury.
The jury ultimately awarded Ms. Lucier $2,761,134 in damages for the defendants’ negligence and their willful failure to provide maintenance and cure.
Obtaining the verdict, however, did not end the firm’s fight for its client.
When the judgment remained unpaid, BRILL & RINALDI, The Law Firm pursued another avenue for recovery under federal maritime law.
Arresting the M/Y Happy
The firm filed an in rem action against the M/Y Happy in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and obtained a federal warrant to arrest the vessel.
On May 8, 2025, the United States Marshals Service arrested the yacht.
The defendants subsequently challenged the vessel’s arrest in federal court, while the litigation also proceeded before Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal.
For months, the firm’s attorneys litigated the case simultaneously in three separate forums: Broward County Circuit Court, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal.
A Confidential Settlement Reached
Through this strategic, multi-forum approach, the parties ultimately reached a confidential settlement.
While the terms of that settlement remain confidential, the case demonstrates the lengths BRILL & RINALDI, The Law Firm is prepared to pursue when necessary to enforce its client’s rights. From obtaining a $2.76 million jury verdict to securing a federal warrant for the arrest of the yacht and litigating in three courts simultaneously, the firm continued pursuing the case until a resolution was reached.
For BRILL & RINALDI, The Law Firm, the case reflects a simple commitment: pursuing justice for its clients through every legal avenue available.